Hitman 2

Hitman 2, a 2018 stealth title, proves to be a surprisingly demanding showcase when paired with the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D. The benchmark data reveals a configuration that delivers exceptional frame rates, but the scaling across resolutions and settings exposes a clear shift in system bottleneck. This analysis breaks down the measured performance, contextualizes the combo's standing, and offers practical settings guidance based strictly on the collected data.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1080p to 4K reveals a dramatic and consistent drop in frame rates, indicating a growing burden on the GPU. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 207 FPS at 1920x1080 to 132 FPS at 2560x1440, and finally to 71 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 36% reduction from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 46% reduction from 1440p to 4K. The cumulative effect is a 66% decrease in average FPS from the lowest to the highest resolution tested.

The pattern is similar across all settings. With Low settings, the average frame rate drops from 365 FPS at 1080p to 234 FPS at 1440p and then to 124 FPS at 4K. Medium settings show a progression from 274 FPS at 1080p to 175 FPS at 1440p and 93 FPS at 4K. Ultra settings are the most demanding, with averages of 153 FPS at 1080p, 98 FPS at 1440p, and 52 FPS at 4K. The consistent halving of performance at each resolution step-up strongly suggests that the GPU is the primary limiting factor as pixel count increases.

At 1080p, the extremely high frame rates, particularly the 365 FPS average on Low, indicate that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with data faster than the graphics card can render at lower resolutions. However, as the resolution climbs, the GPU's rendering workload expands, and the frame rate becomes constrained by the RTX 5090 D's pixel throughput. The data shows a classic resolution-scaling curve: the CPU headroom at 1080p is vast, but it is quickly consumed by the GPU's workload at 1440p and 4K. The 4K Ultra result of 52 FPS, while still playable, highlights just how much graphical horsepower this six-year-old game can demand at maximum settings.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the database of 3,001 tested combos for Hitman 2, this pairing of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D achieves the top rank. It is the fastest configuration tested for this specific title, a signal of the sheer performance on offer. This top-tier placement is expected, given the individual strengths of both components, but the data confirms that their combination is exceptionally well-suited for this game.

The combo's rank is a function of both the CPU and GPU's capabilities. The Ryzen 7 9700X, with an average benchmark score of 37,943, sits at the 86th percentile among all CPUs. Its nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i9-14901E and AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, have average scores that are within 0.1% to 0.4% of the 9700X, showing that it is competitive at the very top of the CPU performance charts. Similarly, the RTX 5090 D, with an average benchmark score of 77,712, is at the 92nd percentile among GPUs, placing it in the highest echelon of graphics cards.

The combination of a top-percentile CPU and a top-percentile GPU results in a system that has no obvious weak point for this game. The benchmark results indicate that neither component is holding the other back, allowing for the maximum possible frame rates. While the GPU's nearest rivals in the database, like the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT, are within a 1.6% to 2.4% margin in raw compute score, they are mobile parts and do not reflect the desktop-class performance of the RTX 5090 D. The number one rank out of 3,001 combos is a definitive statement of this pairing's dominance in Hitman 2.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is the undisputed performance driver in this configuration, especially at higher resolutions. Its massive 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus provides a staggering 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth. In Hitman 2, a game with detailed environments and textures, this memory capacity and bandwidth ensure that texture streaming is never a bottleneck, even at 4K. The data shows that the GPU's workload is the primary factor in frame rate scaling, and its capabilities define the performance ceiling.

The GPU's clock speeds, with a base of 2017 MHz and a boost of 2407 MHz, are high for a desktop card. More importantly, the underlying architecture, Blackwell 2.0 on a 5 nm process, delivers immense compute power. The card's 21,760 shading units and 104.8 TFLOPS of FP32 performance are more than sufficient to handle the DirectX 12 rendering path that Hitman 2 utilizes. The benchmark results clearly show this power: even at 4K with High settings, the card maintains an average of 71 FPS, which is a very strong result for a demanding title at that resolution.

The RTX 5090 D's role becomes even clearer when observing the frame rate differences between settings. At 4K, moving from Low (124 FPS) to Ultra (52 FPS) represents a 58% drop in performance, directly attributed to the increased GPU load from higher-quality shadows, reflections, and post-processing effects. This indicates that the GPU is the component responding to these graphical changes. Its 92nd percentile ranking among all GPUs confirms that it is one of the most powerful graphics processors available, and the measured data in Hitman 2 supports this, showing a card that can deliver high frame rates across all resolution and settings combinations tested.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The full dataset of measured frame rates provides a comprehensive look at the system's performance across nine distinct scenarios.

Starting at 3840x2160, the average frame rates are 124 FPS on Low, 93 FPS on Medium, 71 FPS on High, and 52 FPS on Ultra. The Medium setting is the only one with a reported minimum and maximum, showing a range of 79 to 107 FPS. This indicates that even at 4K, the system remains fluid, but the gap between Low and Ultra is a substantial 72 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance scales up significantly. The average frame rates are 234 FPS on Low, 175 FPS on Medium, 132 FPS on High, and 98 FPS on Ultra. The Medium setting again shows a range, with a minimum of 149 FPS and a maximum of 201 FPS. The jump from 4K is substantial, with the average FPS nearly doubling on Low settings and increasing by roughly 40% on Ultra settings.

At 1920x1080, the system delivers exceptionally high frame rates. The average scores are 365 FPS on Low, 274 FPS on Medium, 207 FPS on High, and 153 FPS on Ultra. The Medium setting has a reported range of 233 to 315 FPS. At this resolution, the system is clearly CPU-bound in some scenarios, as the GPU has ample headroom to render frames far faster than the CPU can issue draw calls. The 365 FPS average on Low reflects the Ryzen 7 9700X's strong single-threaded performance and the overall efficiency of the pairing at lower resolutions.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X plays a critical role in ensuring the GPU is fed with enough data to achieve these high frame rates, particularly at 1080p. As an 8-core, 16-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture, it offers a robust foundation for gaming. Its boost clock of 5.50 GHz and a single-thread 3DMark score of 1,280 are key indicators of its strength in tasks that rely on single-core performance, which is often the case in game logic and draw-call processing.

The benchmark data suggests that the CPU is not a limiting factor in Hitman 2, except at the very highest frame rates. At 1080p with Low settings, the system hits a 365 FPS average, which is likely near the CPU's maximum throughput for this game. This is supported by the fact that the frame rate does not increase proportionally when the resolution is lowered, as it is no longer the GPU that is the bottleneck. The CPU's multi-threaded capabilities, reflected in a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 20,485, are also more than adequate for the game's background simulation and AI tasks.

The Ryzen 7 9700X's performance is highly competitive, with an average benchmark score of 37,943, placing it in the 86th percentile. Its nearest rivals, like the Intel Core i9-14901E, have an average score of 37,911, a mere 0.1% difference. This shows that the 9700X is at the leading edge of CPU performance. In the context of Hitman 2, this translates to a processor that can comfortably handle the game's demands, ensuring that the RTX 5090 D is never starved for data, which is crucial for achieving the top combo rank observed.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured frame rates, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate.

For 4K gaming, the High preset at an average of 71 FPS offers the best balance of visual fidelity and smoothness. The Ultra preset, while more visually impressive, drops to 52 FPS, which may be less desirable for a game that benefits from smooth camera movement. The Medium preset at 93 FPS is also a strong option for players who prioritize frame rate over the highest visual details. The Low preset at 124 FPS is playable but sacrifices too much visual quality for the benefits it provides.

At 1440p, the High preset is the clear sweet spot, delivering an excellent 132 FPS average. This provides a smooth and responsive experience while maintaining high visual quality. The Ultra preset at 98 FPS is also very playable and offers the maximum visual detail. Players with high-refresh-rate monitors (144Hz or above) may prefer the Medium preset at 175 FPS to fully utilize their display's capabilities. The Low preset at 234 FPS is unnecessary for most, but it shows the system's immense headroom at this resolution.

At 1080p, the system's performance is so high that the choice of settings is almost entirely a matter of preference. The High preset at 207 FPS is an excellent choice, providing a perfect balance for 144Hz and 165Hz monitors. The Ultra preset at 153 FPS is the best option for those who want the absolute best visuals and have a 144Hz display. The Medium preset at 274 FPS is ideal for competitive play or for users with 240Hz or higher refresh rate monitors. The Low preset is only recommended for chasing the absolute maximum frame rate, as the visual compromises are significant even at 365 FPS. In summary, the data recommends High settings for a balanced experience at 4K and 1440p, and either High or Ultra at 1080p, depending on the user's refresh rate and visual preferences.